


Evan Buckley Is Why Fate Does Not Take Bathroom Breaks

by FancyFulOfLife



Series: Fate [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Buck is a good bro, Child Neglect, I ask you to Forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes please, Implied Underage Sex, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Major Illness, Not betad, Oblivious Lovesick Fools, Past Child Abuse, Reference to blood loss, Self Proofreading, So Buck Did Too, reference to domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:33:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22167904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FancyFulOfLife/pseuds/FancyFulOfLife
Summary: How did Evan Buckley and Athena Grant go from “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” to Mama and My Baby?Prequel to Operation 118 Trap
Relationships: Christopher Diaz - Relationship, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Athena Grant, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Series: Fate [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595872
Comments: 15
Kudos: 320
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Kayla who asked for it
> 
> A small shout out to missmeagan666 (you’ll know which part)
> 
> And for my Discord fam that I used some conversations from

There’s a meme on the Internet, yes, a thousand year old Fate knows what the internet and a meme is.

Thank you very much.

As I was saying, there’s a meme on the internet that goes something like this is what my Guardian Angel looks like while facepalming.

It's actually a statue of a weeping Angel. Different ones are used. Not sure which ones. I've never really been into the arts enough to find out. There's too much to see and explore.

Where was I?

Oh, yeah the meme.

Don't get me wrong.

I love Evan Buckley more than any Fate should love their charge.

Out of any charge I ever had, he’s my favorite.

I mean there was this one guy in 492, don't get me started.

Let’s just say something about Evan brings out that protectiveness in you.

I wouldn’t trust any other Fate to watch over him.

Sometimes I don’t even trust myself to do it.

He’s just one of those special ones.

But.....

There are days being Evan Buckley’s Fate **_IS_** exactly like that.

Not that it’s his fault he’s a Marked Soul. I remember a day a few months back when he filed that lawsuit, the boy just doesn’t listen when he’s emotional.

Family has always been his breaking point no matter how loud I'm screaming at him to go to the station and use his words.

It broke something in him when he was ten, Maddie off married to Doug. Don't get me started on that guy or how Evan felt around him.

My whispers of encouragement to stab him and get up. I let Maddie shed the tears that day, not for him. For her.

No, never for him.

She was so anxious to get her and Evan out of that house she fell for what she was running from. Which was why she never sent for him. Out of the frying pan into the fire.

When his "father" had smacked him across the face hard enough to knock him to the ground.

All over a B on his advanced Algebra exam. Walking away muttering "the brat isn't even mine, I can't even divorce the bitch or she'll take everything."

If his favorite, most expensive, bottle of brandy fell out of the cabinet that night.

Well, accidents happen.

I mean he's ten taking friggin Advanced Alegebra.

I watched him that night, midnight, looking in the mirror then at family photos he snuck to his room after his nanny put him to bed. Of aunts, uncles, cousins. Grand and Great-grandparents on both sides.

Finding no one with dirty blond hair and blue eyes.

I watched him that night when he swore he would never care about money and love with everything he has. No matter who his father is. He’d be better, especially with kids.

When I heard his thought “At least I don’t have his blood in me.” That actually gave him strength.

Wasn't the way I wanted him to find out. Then again you don't always get what you want. Even if you're Fate.

The way he handled it though, one of my proudest moments of him.

When Eddie told Evan he’s exhausting and they had that argument at the supermarket, I mean married much fellas?

I was disappointed too because I really wanted to see that play out.

He went home after picking up two dozen cupcakes from the bakery by the firehouse and piled up in bed with A Walk To Remember on repeat, actually saying the closing dialogue out loud.

Every.

Friggin.

Time.

If I heard "Our love is like the wind..." come from his mouth one more time.

So, maybe I might have calmed him down a bit.

Maybe his DVD player suddenly stopped working.

Hey, I did say accidents happen.

Cupcakes, eh, not too bad.

A Walk To Remember coming out is nuclear power plant emotional Buck.

Buck repeating the dialogue is the nuclear explosion that created Godzilla.

Yes, Fate watches movies too.

He didn’t even get it out when Abby left, which I’m just going to keep my mouth shut about.

Unlike the Big Boss thinks I can’t do.

If Buck only knew that argument was code for I love and miss your adorable self and not being able to stare at your ass when you’re getting something out of the fridge or oven.

Or do squats on the pulley at the fire house gym like he was doing the other day.

Edmundo Ramon Diaz, you naughty boy. You think about your Abuela with that mind?

If that boy gets any thirstier he’s going to need an I.V. drip.

Really got to do something about those idiots soon before they do something stupid.

Other than openly gawk at the other’s ass without shame.

Which Chim saw and got a stupid 118 fire house betting pool going that got nixed during the lawsuit but suddenly reappeared after Christmas, that’s kinda begging for trouble.

I wonder if Fates can get ulcers?

I get him through his asshole of a father.

That write up after he “accidentally left the emergency brake off” when his briefcase “accidentally got left on the roof of the car” and he “accidentally left the keys in the ignition with the motor running” was soooo worth it.

I mean paying your son's nanny's daughter while she is visiting her mom from college to crawl into his bed when he’s almost asleep and take his virginity because he overheard him telling one of his friends he thought the boy in his chemistry class is cute at fourteen just so screams you’re father of the year.

Honestly, I was pissed it was only his foot.

Fate not Saint.

Of course it’s not like I WANT people to get hurt.

Then again I didn’t really shed any tears while the man complained about being in pain either.

Like he ever gave a shit when Evan was in pain. That he caused. Only told him to man up.

I was so happy when he left the night after he graduated early. Which happened to be after the second semester, right before he turned eighteen that December.

Funny how nobody filed a missing person report.

Those extra advanced summer classes paid off, earning him a High School diploma and an Associates degree. No party. No walking across a stage to cheers. He grabbed his two diplomas before they could be mailed out on his way to the bus station. With a phone call to Maddie telling her he was out of there and warning her again about Doug.

He bought a bus ticket and landed in the Tennessee Mountains where he washed dishes and bused tables part time while he wasn't working construction or volunteering at the local clinic. He loved it there.

That is until the restaurant owner's daughter tried to pull a tampered condom on him and she ended up breaking her foot before their date.

Gotta be careful with those falling pebbles. I mean they are in the mountains after all.

I get him through the Summer in South America of bartending and volunteering at yet another clinic in the poorest of neighborhoods where two locals thought the pretty young white boy could make “us” a lot of cash.

Didn’t shed a tear for those two either when they “accidentally” fell through the wooden stairwell.

Property owners really should keep a better eye on building maintenance.

Also whatcha get for thinking.

Or the owner of the nightclub that slipped on some liquid making him fall down the two steps going from the bar in his private suite.

After tripping over his shoelace that just somehow became unlaced.

Which just happened to make him spill a drop of liquid from the glasses he was carrying to Evan sitting on his couch thinking he was there for a meeting with the boss.

It was a shame he tore his hand to pieces when one of said glasses shattered in his hand when he slipped. Also a shame it was the one he had roofied.

I was glad I could talk the Big Boss Lady out of Anger Management classes citing Evan, being a Marked Soul, shouldn’t be left alone that long.

Then upon our return to the states before his nineteenth birthday he had to be in Austin, Texas and Evan being Evan, help a kid about to fall off the balcony of an apartment complex.

The fire Captain **_Just Had_** to ask him what unit he was with and then tell him it was a shame because he’s a natural when Evan told him he wasn't.

So, Evan Buckley did what Evan does. He turned the premed A.A. he earned along with his High School diploma into a Physician Assistant degree. That he never tells his sister about in any of their scattered conversations. Or even to this day.

He had a feeling those calls only happened when Doug wasn’t around while she was at work so his number never showed up on the bill.

He quite Texas Medical the day the little girl with third degree burns covering ninety percent of her body that wasn’t even his patient died. He hadn’t lied to Bobby, the jumper was the first person he ever personally lost but he’d seen death before. The jumper was just his first up close encounter.

A part of me wept for him every time he denied his true self and slept with any woman that came onto him.

He never did the suggesting. Always letting them lead him to bed or wherever they could find. Like his own self worth was his body and what he can do with it.

Evan Buckley is nothing like his whore of a mother. At least he knows the names of the women.

Don't get me started on that therapist bitch.

Actually, there are many things you don't want to get me started on when it comes to Evan Buckley.

Not being able to prevent everything is one of them.

His mother never even asked for a name for any of the possible men that could be his father before using each other. Which, ya know, would be useful.

He jumped in his jeep and headed to California, where he signed up for the Navy Seals.

Not that I wanted him to fail, because my boy is a genius that plays himbo that totally just ugh, which really he didn’t because he kicked ass as a Navy Seal trainee and he really enjoyed being in Coronado, Ca. but the sigh of relief when he dropped out right before graduating was like soaking in a hot spring.

Evan was never meant to be a machine.

Then we wind up in L.A. this time volunteering at another clinic and falling back on his bartending skills. Of course a fire Captain had to tell him about the academy after the bar he was working at caught on fire and he just had to help save a man trapped in the bathroom.

This time though he thinks of saving little girls before they get to the emergency room with third degree burns.

The only degree he presents on his fire academy application is his high school diploma. His father's voice still echoing in his head. Every time he hears that voice he concurs a fear. This time, the fear of heights.

By climbing ladders and propelling from buildings.

Although him being on the ground.

So, way more preferable.

He’s actually pretty good at it.

Okay, he's way too good at it.

He’s also a damn good actor.

Did I ask if Fates can get ulcers? I did, didn’t I.

Besides it’s not Anger Management issues I have.

It’s Evan Management issues.

A bombed fire truck crashing his leg, blood clots, his stubbornness, even a Tsunami.

A sleazy lawyer that there isn’t enough brain bleach to get his thoughts washed away about my boy, that check and both of them in a tropical retirement.

I still shudder when that comes to mind.

His job replacing sex to fulfill his self worth. That a certain Spanish speaking team member and little boy have been gradually showing him what his true self worth truly is over the past sixteen months.

A mini vacation of peace where he spent his off days sitting by Michael reading and talking to him as he got his chemo and radiation.

All was right in Evan Buckley's world.

Too right.

Because the idiot had to go get himself shot.

Maybe we should go back a few months after Christmas and the arrival of a new decade.


	2. Part 2

"Are you sick and not telling us?" Buck asks Bobby outright one day on a call as he's putting away the propelling ropes.

  
"What? Buck we went through this before Christmas. Clean bill of health. I'm fine."

"Bobby I climbed up the side of a building. After climbing off the ladder. After disobeying a direct order. And you haven't yelled at me about putting others at risk."

Bobby just stands there and blinks.

"I'm not that bad."

Buck closes the compartment door and just looks at him.

"Shit. I am that bad. Besides going against my call saved the woman. I'm not sick. I just...."

"Is everything okay with Mama Athena?"

"Don't let me be in striking distance when she hears you call her that. Speak of my gorgeous wife."

Athena comes sauntering up to them "I swear crowds are worse than fires sometimes. What do you not want to be in striking distance of?"

"When I call you Mama Athena."

Athena lets out a laugh, lightly slapping Buck's arm. "Oh, you. What's going on over here baby bear? Do I need to separate you and my husband?"

"What did I just miss?" Bobby has a look between wtf just happened and do I need to go to church because the apocalypse is coming on his face.

"You mean him calling me Mama Athena? He's been doing it since Christmas. You didn't notice?"

"That." Buck points at Bobby. "He's been strangely quiet, distant and distracted since Christmas."

"Now that you mention it, you've also been quiet at home too. Bobby, what's going on?"

Bobby holds up his hand. "I can honestly say there is nothing going on with me."

Buck could hear the distance dings of his cell phone text alerts going off.

He's in that space between sleep and awake. Exhausted yet can't exactly reach the nirvana of deep sleep. Often a side effect of pulling a weekly twenty-four hour shift.

He's dreaming of a beaver using it's tail to pack mud into it's.....wait. He sits up, rubbing his eyes. Looking at his phone.

11p.m.

He has missed texts from......Bobby? He walks downstairs to the knocking at his door, opening it.

Bobby is standing there with his LAFD duffle bag. "Can I borrow your couch?"

  
  


"Its no trouble. Its adult sized but I hope you don't mind dinosaurs. Christopher is going through a Jurassic phase. Besides, its a lot more comfortable than the couch." Buck is blowing up the air mattress Christopher sleeps on after a long day and a Buckley-Diaz movie night.

While the pump is working Buck brings out the fresh dino covered sheets, a plain white throw and pillow.

Bobby has been quiet, not saying much. Like now as he helps Buck make up the air bed. With red rimmed eyes.

"Bobby. You don't have to tell me what's going on, okay? Bathroom is all yours. Get some sleep."

Rolling over in bed Buck picks up his phone.

12:30a.m.

Fate is sitting on the bed next to him. "You know where you need to be."

Buck looks over at a sleeping Bobby. Quiet as he can he grabs a pair of jeans and his shoes before heading downstairs.

He slides the jeans on, along with his shoes. Grabbing his keys and jacket he gently shuts and locks the door behind him.

He doesn't bother calling. He just shows up, pulling his jeep up into the driveway.

He waits with one arm leaning against the doorframe after knocking. The door opens to a long crying face.

"Hey, Mama Athena. I sure could use a cup of coffee."

"Oh, my baby bear." She launches herself into Buck's arms sobbing as he wraps her up in them.

  
  


Buck walks into his apartment around 9 a.m. to a silent Bobby just sitting on his couch starring into space.

He goes upstairs grabbing Bobby’s duffle, knowing everything is already in it because well, Bobby.

Going back downstairs he gestures to Bobby “Come one.”

“What? Where?”

“Where you belong. Home to your wife. Michael is meeting us there. We’re going to talk about the plan while the kids are in school with copious amounts of coffee and when they get home, tell them about their father.”

“Buck?”

“I’m going to need you to change some of my shifts. Put me on every weekend. We’ll talk about the rest when we’re all together. Really Bobby, you gotta work on this secret not telling people things.”

  
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”

“Yeah that’s why Mama Athena cried all night while she told me why you ended up on my doorstep. Which, anytime. Got it? You’re her husband. I know you and Michael are close. Hell, you don’t think I’d do the same for Eddie?”

Bobby refrains from saying him and Michael are just a bit different than the Buckley and Diaz show. “Plan? What plan?”

  
The nurse attaches the drip to the newly implanted port in Michael’s chest that leads to the two bags hanging on the pole behind him. He’s leaning his head back in the recliner. His fingers tapping on the arm of the chair as he looks out the plate glass window of the Cancer Treatment department of the hospital over the bustling city below. Buck comes back with a plastic waiting room chair and sits down beside him.

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting for your treatment to be done so I can take you to Athena and Bobby’s where you can rest in your new room while I watch you for symptoms until Athena gets off shift.”

“Buck man, that’s four hours. Drop off, pick up, wait.”

“I promised Mama Athena I’d watch out for you. Don’t remember the specifics getting to where I would wait for you at during your treatment.”

“That chair is not comfortable looking and you don’t even have anything to drink.”

“Michael, first, no food or drink signs are plastered everywhere. Second, you’d be amazed at the places my body has to be on the job. Plus, don’t tell Bobby because I’ll end up riding on the floor buckled down but the seats in the trucks, not at all that comfy.”

“So, you’re just going to sit there and watch my sick ass for four hours twice a week?”

Buck reaches down and riffles through his LAFD duffle Michael was so out of his head he hadn’t even noticed Buck brought with him. “Nope. You’re going to sit there and listen to the docile sound of my voice as I read you Treasure Island. As for your ass. I’m sure many people find it attractive but, sorry man, it does nothing for me.”

  
“You should listen to him Michael. Your ass really does nothing for him because it’s not attached to Eddie’s thighs and abs. Or those eyes he likes to stare into. But who am I to argue that they’re just BFFs? Other than, you know, Fate.” She leans back against the wall across from them, marking a new proudest Evan Buckley moment on her list.

Michael let’s out a chuckle and then his voice gets serious. “Buck.”

Buck is propping one leg over the other as he settles the book in his lap. “Need something? Are you feeling any adverse reactions? Need the nurse?”

“No, no. Just. It’s, it’s going to get ugly. The side effects. You staying with me. Even right now. You don’t have to.”

Buck knows the side effects of chemo and radiation all to well. Especially by treating Michael’s tumor aggressively by getting both at the same time. He knows exactly what’s in store for Michael. He’s not so sure Michael, Bobby and Mama Athena are ready to face the reality of what’s to come over the next three months just yet. “What can I say? I like it when Mama Athena is happy and making sure you’re okay is taking just enough stress off her to make her just able to smile a bit. As for the side effects look at it this way, at least losing your hair is one less worry.”

Buck is silent as Michael just sits there staring at him. Afraid he’d pushed that one too far until he sags in relief when Michael throws his head back, holding his stomach as laughter fills the room. He sighs, still chuckling then just looks at Buck. “You love her. I mean not like Bobby loves her but you love her.”

Buck is quiet for a moment. “Yeah, I do. She’s a good woman. I see what an awesome mom she is to May and Harry. I respect the hell out of her not because of a badge, a uniform or the gun she carries, bad ass cop by the way, but because she’s caring but won’t take shit from nobody. I respect what’s she been through and how she’s become the person she is today. Remind me one day to tell you how we met. We really didn’t hit it off all that well."

Michael lets out a small chuckle shaking his head. “I actually remember the time period. She came home one day complaining about this pasty white boy wannabe Dwayne Johnson troublemaker. Of course that wasn’t a good time for the two of us so I might have had a hand in the way you two met went.”

Buck gets a contemplative look on his face. “No, she was right and called me out on it. Since we have time I might also tell you about when I worked construction in Tennessee.”

“You? Worked in construction?”

“See, that’s why I never tell anyone. That reaction right there.”

“Just, well.”

“By the way Athena first described me you thought I was a young frat boy that liked to play at being adult? It’s okay, you can say it. A lot of people get or got that impression.”

“I’m starting to think maybe we never knew the real Buck. Take it from someone that hid who they are for a majority of their life. Maybe you’re just a good actor.”

“Maybe it’s easier sometimes.”

“Construction in Tennessee of all places.”

“The mountains. Townsend. Got shuffled to Pigeon Forge once or twice. The owner and foreman, Julian Donovan, had a contract to build cabins. I can build a mean patio. Can also whittle small animals, too. Christopher got a kick out of the T-Rex. He thinks I bought it though, Eddie is the only one that knows my woodworking skills. Helped him with his Abuela’s back porch, which is now a back deck with a ramp to the back yard. The steps were rotting away. Cheap particle board, which is surprising considering how old her house is. I think whoever did them last for her before Eddie moved here swindled her. Kinda like to find the asshole considering how much he charged her. Used cedar, was going to go with pressed but cedar takes staining better and in this heat I think it’ll last longer. Had enough left over to build her a couple of deck chairs.”

“Cedar was a good choice, lightweight but strong enough to hold an army. Which Eddie’s family can be at times. You worked for Donovan?”

“Yeah, you know J.D.?”

“We worked together before he got antsy and ventured out on his own about a decade ago. Was kinda jealous but with a wife and small kids, I didn’t have the balls to do it. Never mentioned to Athena wanting to. Now though. Huh. Small world.”

“You still have time. Anytime is a good time for a fresh start.”

“Buck I’m fifty and about to have medical bills coming out of my ass. Not to mention, Cancer.”

“Michael, you're undergoing aggressive treatment to shrink a tumor that they caught before it could spread. Then when it shrinks, they're going to cut it out. Have you ever wondered how I could afford that Jeep or my loft because civil servants, don’t really make a whole lot?"

“Don’t tell me, you were a stockbroker in New York.”

“Nah. Just aced economics and good at reading the stock market. I’ve never wanted to be rich or cared about money but I dabbled enough to keep myself secure. I’d be more than happy to help you out or introduce you to a stockbroker.”

“You. Are a very surprising person. Let me guess, Eddie only knows about that too?”

“I set Christopher up with a college fund after the lawsuit. It was Eddie’s Christmas gift. Plus, he knows a guy from his service days that’s a stockbroker now. He set him up enough to pay off his mortgage because once again, civil servants don’t make a whole lot. But what we don’t make in money. Pulling a kid from a burning building. Hearing a person start breathing again after CPR. Makes up for it.

“Kinda like pulling people out of streets of water onto a fire truck? Bobby bitched for days about how you could have been even more hurt playing hero than you already were.” Michael avoids Buck’s questioning raised eyebrow to let that new information simmer. Something else Athena said Bobby didn’t tell him. “So, Eddie got Christopher a free college ride for Christmas, huh? That and conspiring with your Mama to get the families together.”

“What can I say? Christopher wanted to be with his daddy for Christmas.”

Fate watches as the book is forgotten while Buck and Michael talk. “And it made Eddie happy. You can say it Buck.”

If by chance a recliner is beside Michael's when they come for their next visit or Michael's doctor sneaks in a bottle or two of water while Buck reads as the weeks pass and Michael gets too tired to talk but enjoys hearing Buck read to him.

Well, Evan always had that effect on people.

  
  


"Hey" Eddie leans his shoulder up against the wall by the lockers looking down at Buck sitting on the bench as he ties his boots.

Looking up, Buck smiles. "Hey, you."

"Is, um, is everything okay. Did I....?"

Buck holds up his hand as he stands up. "Don't go there."

"You've been doing a lot of weekend shifts. Actually every weekend shift. You look tired. Plus...."

"We haven't had a Buckley-Diaz movie night in awhile. Have we?" Placing his hand on Eddie's chest. "I tell you everything you know that, right?"

"As in I'm the only person out of the state of Texas that knows you should have a P.A. behind your name and help more on medical calls but you asked me not to tell, or to never use your middle name that no one knows either, so I'm respecting that?" Eddie does that half smile smirk thing he does.

"Exactly like that." Buck keeps his hand on Eddie's chest as Eddie puts his around Buck's shoulder, his thumb caressing his collarbone as his body moves a bit closer to Buck. Just enough space between them to fit a fist.

"Christopher misses his Buck."

"I miss him too."

Buck sees Eddie watching Bobby and Athena walk by. His voice low. "But someone needs you right now that they don't want anyone to know about so you're respecting that promise."

"Yes."

"That's not you not telling me. That's you being a good son."

"What?"

Eddie tilts his head towards Athena. "She's been different for a bit now. She's also been more attentive to you. I would do the same for my Abuela and you wouldn't push me to tell. It's not your place. I respect the hell out of that."

"Oh my Fates would you two kiss and just go find a storage room already!" Fate throws her hands up as she stands beside the couple, rolling her eyes.

"How about pizza and a movie tonight? Your place. 7ish. Christopher gets pick of the pizza and movie." Buck suggests.

"You're not too tired?"

"It's not like I haven't crashed at your place before."

"I should warn you. Christopher is going through a pineapple and ham pizza phase."

"You know I love that kid. Even enough to eat pineapple on pizza. Oh!" Buck pulls away going to his locker. "Speaking of the adorable one." He hands Eddie a perfectly detailed wood carved Triceratops.

"Buck."

"I have time while I help."

"Hey guys! Hen and Karen are here." Chim yells from the ambulance bay.

Buck bumps Eddie against his hip with his. "Besides. You miss me too."

"Maybe." Eddie smirks.

Fate bangs her head against the wall.

They get to the ambulance bay to find Karen holding a little girl around one. Hen blowing on her feet, making her giggle.

"Everyone. I'd like you to meet Mya Wilson."

"Hey Buck? Can I talk to you? In private, please." Athena has been quiet all through Mya’s intruction to the 118 family lunch, stealing a glance towards Buck every once in a while.

”Sure, Mama Athena.”

The concern in Eddie’s eyes when they get up from the table turns to worry when after an hour they both exit the bunk room with red eyes.

"Pineapple pizza can be a thing." Buck says around a yawn as he flops down on the couch after helping put Christopher to bed.

Eddie grabs him by both hands pulling him up. "Come on. Time for bed." Eddie leads him to his bedroom, mostly so he doesn't fall flat on his face. Which he does on Eddie's bed.

"Have I told you how much I like your comfy bed?" Buck mumbles as Eddie unties his shoes, pulls his socks off, somehow gets him to lift his arms to get his Henley off. He stops when Buck mumbles "Athena knows about my father" as he's sliding off his jeans.

"Are you okay?"

"Not mad at her. She was concerned about something I said to.....she overheard something. She found a police record of suspected child abuse. I told her about Heather. Then the therapist. She told me she loves me." He finishes as he tries not to drift off. "'M,kay. Hug me lots. Made her cry. Don't like to see Mama cry."

"I know you don't. I’m also sorry I brushed you off about the therapist.”

”We already talked ‘bout that. It made you mad. Didn’t want to Hulk out.”

If Fate remembers correctly Eddie’s line of thinking had been more of if his Abuela hadn’t jammed into him to respect women so much, he would take the risk and invite **_her_** into one last ring. Besides his Abuela, he wouldn’t do that to Buck on Maddie’s behalf.   
  


Too bad Bobby didn’t tell them _**Why**_ she doesn’t work for the department anymore. 

This isn't the first time he's had to undress a half asleep Buck and wrestle him to get under the covers. Hell, Buck has done it for him on numerous occasions. Except Buck's bed is more comfortable.

Fate watches as Eddie leans down and kisses an already asleep Buck's forehead. "Sleep well mi corazón desinteresado." Then he strips down and slides into bed.

"Yeah. BFFs my ass." Fate says as Buck shifts closer to a sleeping Eddie that turns over and lays an arm over him.

  
  


The three arrange their schedules so someone is always with Michael during the day. But it's always Buck Michael asks for to take him to his treatments.

Its easy, Michael mostly sleeps so they set up a video, motion detector, baby monitor in case one of them is dozing and Michael needs something.

He's also gotten over someone having to help him to use the bathroom or change the Depends he wears in case he has an accident.

Buck arrives for his daily shift. Athena bidding her baby goodbye with a kiss on his cheek.

He checks on Michael once again before settling on the couch with a sack, his whittling tools and the almost finished mountain.

When he gets done the alarm is going off, he gets up stretching out the kinks, grabs Michael's meds along with two ginger-ales some toast, a plain yogurt and a wrapped spoon.

He sets the mountain on the nightstand and gently wakes his friend. Michael stirs as Buck gently raises the head of the rented hospital bed. He starts eating the toast on the tray Buck pushes in front of him, then slowly downing his meds with both drinks. He tries to eat the yogurt but his hand is shaking.

He doesn't protest when Buck starts feeding him. He gets half of it down when he shakes his head no more. Buck lowers the bed back noticing Michael's droopy eyes. "Buck. I need."

"Don't worry, I'll get you all cleaned up."

Buck washes his hands and gloves up, grabbing two pans of water, towels, a clean nightshirt and a fresh Depends. Michael likes to hear about Christopher lately so Buck is telling him about the science project on his favorite obsession as he cleans him up that he and Eddie are helping him with.

Buck tries to ignore how much weight he's lost.

He's tucking Michael in with a clean sheet when he hears "Pretty."

He turns his head to where Michael is looking. The wood mountain. He picks it up and hands it to Michael, a ghost of a smile on his face as he runs his finger over every etched ridge of rock and the detailed trees on the top and one side.

"Only two more treatments. You're going to make it, buddy."

"Why are you still here?" Athena asks Buck. "Don't you have an early shift?"

"What, you tired of me?" Athena just shakes her head, smiling, as Buck helps her with dinner.

May comes in talking a mile a minute about how Buck is a genius that helped her ace her Economics mid-term. Athena just beams as Buck explains how to apply it to stocks and bonds as he chops the salad fixings.

Buck just drives to Eddie's on autopilot like he has been. He was going to use his key, not expecting Eddie to wait up for him. He just stands up from the couch, holding out his hand. After Buck peaks in on Christopher, because he just wanted to see his face, they both undress and fall into bed, exhausted.

  
“Oh, fellas, work with me not against me here.” Fate huffs crossing her arms.

It's two days before Michael's last treatment. Buck has already set it up with the nurses to have the graduation banner and balloons ready.

They just got the kitchen fire out on a domestic abuse call. The wife treated and released by Hen and Chim. She's already left the scene with a neighbor.

Fate and Buck see the husband coming out of the house with the glint of sunlight on metal at the same time as he raises his arm towards Athena.

Buck is two feet away from her and dives grabbing her around the waist.

"Buck!" Fate yells as a shot is fired and they both fall to the grass covered ground followed by what sounds like to Buck's pounding head a firework display as Fate boils in anger raising her arms and the officers fire back.

He can hear Athena yelling "It's not my blood! It's not my blood!" As his vision starts looking like a fuzzy television screen.

He hears Chim telling Athena she needs to move as Hen is yelling how did it go through his jacket. He hears there's too much blood as his jacket is removed. His shoulder! His shoulder! A far off Chim says it's a through and through as Athena yells for somebody to find that damn bullet. He feels his shirt being cut off him. Pressure on both sides of his shoulder.

He's cold as Hen starts yelling breathe. Dammit breathe. He sees Eddie and Christopher laughing at the park and then..........nothing.

Fate has her hand on Buck's artery. She used all her strength to keep the bullet from hitting his brachial artery that it hit the ones next to it.

She watches as Hen climbs on top of him doing chest compressions

As Athena yells “Buck, don’t leave Mama baby! Why wasn’t he in custody! Then why wasn’t he cuffed?!”

As Hen is yelling go, go, go. Before the ambulance doors are shut. Athena is in her squad car, sirens blaring as she cuts in front and clears them a path.

Fate is in the hallway as Buck is in recovery from surgery. She hears broken conversations of coded twice on the table. Blood transfusion. Blood thinners.

She knows. It was her hand that started his heart back all three times.

Athena on the other hand is demanding to know about “Her son.”

“Ma’am, we can only tell family members information about patients.”

“First, do you not see the uniform I am wearing, second how can you not tell the family resemblance?”

“Evan Buckley, I’m here for Evan Buckley!” Bobby is shouting as he and Eddie are running down the hall.

“Oh, yes. Sir, your son is in recovery.”

“He’s no…” Athena smacks Bobby in the stomach with the back of her hand.

“Now would you kindly tell me what the hell is going on with our son.” It’s a statement, not a question.

The nurse looks flustered as she notices the wedding bands. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry ma’am. I’ll go get the doctor.”

Athena looks at Bobby. He holds up a bag. “Hen said you needed a change of clothes.” Then wraps his arms around his wife. “Bobby, they shot our baby boy.”

“Mi…” Athena looks over at Eddie and his red rimmed eyes. Oh, my poor baby.

“Carla is at your house with Michael and Christopher. Bobby told her what she needs to know. Buck didn’t tell me anything. He never betrayed your confidence. I knew something was going on with you and Buck was helping but he never betrayed you…” Eddie starts sobbing into Athena’s neck as she wraps him in her arms and they cry together.

Fate watches them before heading to recovery. She sees him immediately. Walking up to his bedside she pushes her hand into his shoulder and squeezes.

  
  


Buck is asleep. Out of the woods and off the blood thinners he no longer needs. They found the bullet in the side of a squad car. Not even a 9mm. Specially designed to do damage. The ATF are casing the house now for other special made weapons.

They had walked in blind for a domestic dispute to part of an arsenal ring. If Buck hadn’t shoved Athena out of the way, the bullet would have went straight through her skull, blowing the back of her head open.

Which is what Buck’s shoulder should look like now. By some miracle his shoulder is not damaged. The bandage looks frightening. There is still some healing to do but his muscles, arteries, tendons, anything that bullet was supposed to shred, didn’t. He’ll have full functionality of his arm after the wound heals and a bit of PT. He can even go back to work in a month. That Eddie and Athena have already argued about where he will be staying. Eddie won the argument using Carla as his trump card.

Eddie is on one side of the bed holding his hand in both his while Maddie and Athena are on the other. Bobby in the corner. He just nods his head yes when Eddie breaks the silence. “From now on when Buck’s on shift, I’m on shift.”

Buck can’t move his arm and shoulder are sore. He lets out a groan and suddenly hears a roomful of whispering voices.

“You died on me. Three times.” He looks over to see Eddie holding the hand of his good shoulder. “Don’t do it again.”

“Didn’t ask to be shot, Edmundo.”

“That’s what happens when you jump in front of a bullet, Evan.”

“Mama? Where’s Mama?”

“I’m right here, baby. I’m okay thanks to you.” Athena leans over and kisses his forehead,

“Can I like see my brother now?” Maddie pipes up. ”Buck, really. You’re stacking up frequent flyer miles at the place.”

“Love you too, Mads.” She leans over kissing his cheek careful of his shoulder because the scary pissed off looking guy holding his hand, she ain’t messing with that.

“Chim and Hen will be by after their shift and according to Hen a few stiff drinks. Chim is holding down the fort, Hen is making sure he’s not going into dictator mode so I have a crew when I go back to work tomorrow.”

“Christopher is here. Outside with Carla coloring his hero a picture.” Eddie starts before Buck is demanding his boy. Eddie raises an eyebrow at that.

Fate listens as he quietly mutters to himself, “One day. One lousy day off for teacher’s planning day so I take him to the park. I can’t leave you alone one lousy day.”

“I’ll get him.” Bobby offers.

Walking to the waiting room Bobby asks Christopher “Are you ready to see Buck?” With a response of an enthusiastic “YES!”

Bobby is walking beside Christopher, grinning, while he was deemed worthy of holding the “Buckley Hero Award” after promising, more like swearing on the kid’s coloring book, not to let it get wrinkled or damaged in any way.

“Oh, he is so adorable! Look at that smile!” It’s the nurse he had to keep his wife from beating down yesterday. “Your grandson looks just like you and your son! It’s amazing!”

Fate grins as Bobby tries to correct her but she was gone before he could get a word out. He just sighs and continues on to Buck’s room beside Christopher. He greets “His Buck” presenting him with his award and then loudly repeats to the room what the nurse said.

Fate stares at the three. She already knew Buck has never been near Shannon but the look Eddie gets on his face whenever he hears that is almost…..dreamy.

Buck and Bobby though. Basically the same height. Same facial features. Hair and eyes. Same inability to communicate emotions.

Huh.

“Time. A request, please? Whereabouts of one Robert Nash, 1992.” Fate let’s out a huff of disappointing at the results. 

“Well, damn. That would have been too easy.”

  
  


The room has cleared. Carla has taken Christopher home. The only people left are Athena and Eddie.

“Wait.” Buck tries to sit up. “What’s today?”

Athena lays a hand on Buck’s good shoulder. “Buck, it’s okay. May and Harry are there.”

“Mama, I promised.”

“You need rest, baby.”

Buck turns to Eddie. “Edmundo Ramon Diaz, I need pants and a wheelchair.”

Michael is sitting in his recliner getting his last treatment, dozing on and off. His kids by his side on their tablets in the recliner next to his. There was another kid he’s worried about though as he looks at the Happy Graduation Day Banner on the wall directly in front of his chair, balloon with smiley faces and “You Did It!” sitting beside his recliner. His children wouldn’t have a mom right now if it wasn’t for him. His eyes droop close as he goes back into his doze.

When he wakes up he hears May reading Sherlock Holmes from her tablet. It’s familiar. It’s the same book Buck has been reading from to him for his last four treatments. He looks over to the recliner to see a curled up Buck asleep. Hospital gown hanging off his bandaged shoulder, wearing sweatpants. May is on one side of him, Harry on the other. He has an arm around both.

“He insisted. Stubborn fool of a boy. Said he couldn’t miss your graduation treatment.” Athena tells him.

May holds up her tablet. “He said he’s been reading Sherlock Holmes to you. Showed me where he left off.”

Michael gets a little teary eyed. May looks down at her tablet. “We know what’s he’s been doing for you, what he did for mom. We heard him call her Mama and Eddie said the nurse called Bobby his dad.”

“May, that doesn’t mean…”

“No, wait. Harry and I. We were wondering would it be okay if we called him our brother. Like adopt him into the family?”

“Oh, I think Bobby would love that.” Eddie says grinning from his position against the windowsill.

“Well, I see we found our missing patient that went awol and you have quit the graduation party going on. You’re halfway done. Let me just get this one back to his room.”

Before she can wake him, Michael stops her. “Dr. Wilkes, if you don’t mind. I’d like my son to stay and maybe get him a blanket.”

She just looks at him. Then over at the person that came treatment after treatment to support him. “Stubborn must run in the family.”

A nurse is already covering Buck up when Eddie says “I think he gets it from his Mama.”

Fate says to hell with it and places her hand on Michael’s head. That showed the treatment worked. Then looking at the small gathering. Maybe a bit of love helped too.

  
Athena hears a knock in the door and opens it to “Eddie I got shot in the shoulder. Not the leg. I can walk perfectly fine and I want to visit my family.” He leans over giving Athena a kiss. “Hey, Mama.”

“Hey baby. How you feeling.”

“Restless, bored and smothered but it’s out of love so I’ll let it go.” Athena shakes her head. Yeah baby, romantic, passionate love. Not the friendly kind you’re thinking of. Chim already is pushing the pool from Christmas. He’s sure they’ll hit the jackpot. She doesn’t like the idea of the 118 messing with her babies though. Buck is her son and he loves Eddie and that little boy more than anything, so they’re her babies too. Chim better not mess this up trying to fix it so he’ll win.

Buck hears May yell “Is that Buck?” Harry comes running to the door, hugging him around the waist. “Hey bro.”

“Hey, kiddo. How goes the pre-Algebra?”

“Sucks.”

“I’ll show you how to make it less sucky.”

Eddie leans over and whispers in his ear. “You might have to change your name to Grant.”

”Buckley-Diaz has a better ring to it but once again just Fate talking here.” She really is getting frustrated with these two.

“Harry. Let Buck and Eddie in the house at least.”

“Buck?”

“Michael! You’re up on the couch!” He’s sitting up with a throw over his lap but out of bed. Baby steps.

“It’s a good day. I know you can’t drive yet but will you come with me and Athena to my follow up appointment Thursday? I mean, if you have plans it’s okay. I’m getting the results of my scans to see if the treatments worked and I need surgery.”

“I’ll be there, Michael.” Buck comforts him.

“So, I’m assuming two more for dinner?” Bobby walks in to see Athena glued to Buck’s good side.

“YES!” May and Harry shout.

“Hey guys.” Bobby nods in greeting.

“Hey, Dad.” Bobby stops, turns around and looks at Buck with the gut feeling he will never live that down.

Fate smirks. “Oh, Bobby. You already treat him like your son. Just adopt him already.”


End file.
